More walking and cycling in Yarra, less driving

In one of our previous articles, we talked quite a bit about how walkability is something important to think about when moving to Melbourne.

Amazingly, Carlton North, Collingwood and Fitzroy, are all Yarra suburbs within the city’s top ten most walkable. How was this achieved?

The February 2015 edition of the Yarra News shows that there were plenty of new developments around footpaths and cycle lanes last year – both of which helped to make the streets easier and more enjoyable to traverse.

On the path

In the City of Yarra, footpaths all around the region have been and are being renovated with a new rubber matting material that is ground-breaking in more ways than one. With ordinary asphalt, it’s not uncommon for tree roots to push and burst through over time, making the streets less pleasant and more dangerous to walk on. According to the Yarra News, this rubberised variant has a greater lifespan and can be rolled back so that the roots can be trimmed before being re-applied.

Furthermore, this matting made of 100 per cent recycled materials provides greater resistance to slipping while feeling soft and easy to walk on. Those living in Fitzroy real estate were the first to experience this first hand as it was one of the initial areas where this material was trailed.

I want to ride my bicycle

A large part of a highly walkable suburb is decreasing the reliance on cars and the carbon emission they produce. A new initiative called Livewell Yarra was launched and is one of the city’s approaches to tackling this.

Launched by Curtin University in collaboration with Yarra Energy Foundation, the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living and the city council, the objective of the program is to make the region a carbon-neutral neighbourhood over the next four years. Small volunteer groups have been formed to measure their carbon footprint and make adjustments to their lifestyle to reduce their impact gaining knowledge through workshops and learning events.

Furthermore, new 2 metre-wide bicycle lanes were built between Victoria Parade and Gipps Street and were made ready by July 2015. According to the city council, Yarra has the highest number of people who cycle to work in the whole of Australia. This new ‘Copenhagen-style’ development has helped to encourage this further and make it safer for cyclists to commute around these areas.

If you’re moving to Melbourne, get connected with the team at Nelson Alexander. We’re local area experts and can help you find a great home.